Rotary drum screen method for thin stillage filtration

ABSTRACT

A rotating drum screen method for separating solids from thin stillage obtained from ethanol fermentation, the thin stillage comprising one or more of solids and suspended solids. Thin stillage is chemically treated with an anionic polymer to form stable particles of one or more of solids and suspended solids. Introducing the treated thin stillage into a rotating drum screen system. The drum screen includes a filter screen that retains at least a portion of the solids within a hollow portion of the drum screen and which produces a liquid effluent that is discharged from an outer surface of the drum screen. The retained solids are removable from the drum screen via a solid discharge end. A head box is disposed within the hollow portion of the drum screen and has a plurality of fluid flow channel dividers dividing and directing an influent stream outwardly against the drum screen.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of prior application Ser. No.15/936,191, filed Mar. 26, 2018, and titled ROTARY DRUM SCREEN FOR THINSTILLAGE FILTRATION, which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to separation of solids and liquidsremaining after fermentation of grains and cellulosic plants to producefuel and potable ethanol, and more particularly to a drum screen for usein separating solids and liquids after addition of a polymer to thickand/or thin stillage remaining after the fermentation.

2. Background and Related Art

Fermentation is a biological process that uses yeasts to convert simplesugars into ethanol. Feedstocks such as grains, fruits, and cellulosicplant matter may provide a source of fermentable sugar. Fermentationprocesses can be used to generate potable ethanol in the form of liquorsand other alcoholic beverages as well as to generate industrial or fuelethanol. Fermentation is often coupled with distillation processes thatseparate the ethanol from the fermentation mixture. While thefermentation and distillation processes can effectively produce andisolate ethanol, the remaining liquids and solids can pose a problem foroperators of ethanol production facilities. The remaining liquids andsolids must either be disposed of or undergo further processing togenerate viable commodities. Both disposal and/or processing of theseremaining liquids and solids can increase the costs and complexity ofethanol production. For example, while further processing of theremaining liquids can render them suitable to be reused at least in partin the fermentation process, this further processing can be costly andthere are limits to the amount of liquid that can be recycled. Likewise,there are increased costs and limitations to further processing theremaining solids into useful products.

Grains, including corn, are often used in the production of both fueland potable ethanol via a fermentation process. The grain is oftenground into a flour, and the flour is mixed with water, backset(recycled byproducts of previous fermentation processes), and enzymes,then heated to kill any bacteria present. The result is a cooked mashthat can be held in a tank to allow complete liquefaction of themixture, then cooled and pumped into fermenters.

In the fermenters, yeast is added to the mash to start fermentation. Theyeast converts the simple sugars in the mash to alcohol, releasingcarbon dioxide, which can be captured and liquefied for sale. After anappropriate time has passed, such as approximately two days, thealcohol-containing mash, which may be referred to as beer, may be pumpedto a distillation unit that strips all the alcohol from the beer. Theresulting alcohol may be further purified for fuel or potable purposes,and additives may be added in some instances.

The liquid and solid mixture that remains following the alcoholdistillation is commonly called thick stillage or whole stillage. Thethick stillage contains solids in various forms that prevent the thickstillage from being economically reused in the fermentation process andthat further prevent the thick stillage from being simply dischargedinto the environment. Accordingly, various processes are used to removesolids from the thick stillage. Commonly, liquid-solid separationdevices, such as centrifuges, are used to separate liquid from thesolids. The more-solid portion so removed from the thick stillage isoften referred to as wet distiller's grain, which may contain from about7% to about 17% solids by weight. The resulting more-liquid portion iscommonly called thin stillage, and still contains dissolved solids, somesuspended solids, and fatty acids, as well as residual yeast from thefermentation and other unfermentable products such as hemicellulose,yeasts, and other solids typically associated with structural componentsof the feedstock (e.g., biotins, dextrans, and other similarcomponents). The wet distiller's grain may be sold as-is, or it may bedried into dried distiller's grain.

The thin stillage still contains solids at a level that preventsdischarge of the thin stillage into the environment. The thin stillagealso contains oil from the distilled grain, such as corn oil, that maybe captured or extracted to create a valuable co-product that can beused, for example, in biodiesel manufacture, as an animal feed additive,or for enhancing the quality and flowability of the dried distiller'sgrain. Additionally, a portion of the thin stillage may be recycled intothe fermentation process as the backset; however, the ratio of thinstillage that can be used as backset is limited in part because of thetotal solids (TS), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids(TDS), and unfermentable components found in the thin stillage.Accordingly, the thin stillage cannot ethically be discharged into theenvironment, cannot be completely reused, and still contains co-productsof some value, and producers of ethanol have continued to developprocesses and systems by which to separate the remaining solids and oilsfrom the water of the thin stillage.

Unfortunately, the processes and systems in use to date have not provedadequate or fully economical to the task of separating the solids fromthe thin stillage. One typical method for separation of the water fromthe remaining oil and solids is the use of evaporators that evaporatethe water out of the thin stillage, thus concentrating the solidscontent into a product called syrup. The syrup is sometimes solddirectly as a feed additive, or can be mixed back into the wetdistiller's grain to be dried into the dried distiller's grain. Corn oilmay be extracted from the syrup and used as discussed previously. Whilethe evaporated water may be condensed and reused in the fermentationand/or distillation processes, the evaporation process is anenergy-intensive process that increases the cost of the resultantproducts and/or of treating the thin stillage to a point where theresultant water can be safely discharged into the environment.

The water that makes up the recipe/mix for a new fermentation (cooking)batch is made up of 1) evaporation condensate (majority); 2) CO₂scrubber water (smallest amount); and 3) backset. If an ethanolfermentation plant had enough evaporation capacity it would send nearlyall evaporation condensate back to begin the cooking process. But sinceethanol fermentation plants do not have sufficient evaporation capacity,primarily because the evaporation process is very energy intensive andexpensive, ethanol fermentation plants return a fraction of the thinstillage untreated as “backset” to the fermentation (cook) process.

As an alternative to an evaporative process, producers of ethanol alsohave used addition of a variety of polymers, such as anionic and/orcationic polymers, which are intended to create bonds with the remainingsuspended or dissolved solids to create larger particles of solids thatcan be separated or filtered from the thin stillage, such as isdisclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2017/0152471 toAllen et al. and in U.S. Pat. No. 7,497,955 to Scheimann et al., both ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference. Unfortunately, the bondscreated by the addition of the polymers to the thin stillage aregenerally too weak to hold up to high-energy separation applicationssuch as centrifuges, plates and frames, or general screens. Accordingly,when high-energy separation processes are attempted, a significantnumber of the bonds break, causing lost oil recovery and increased totalsuspended solids. As a result, the backset that is recycled into theprocess has a higher solid content, reducing the percentage of newsolids that can be applied to the front end of the fermentation process,and because the solids of the backset represent largely non-fermentablesolids, the increased solids in the backset reduce the efficiency of thefermentation process.

One high-energy separation process that is sometimes used to separatesolids from liquids is drum screens. A traditional drum screen is acourse separation technology used to remove physically large and hardobjects from a liquid stream. In traditional drum screen uses, there isno concern for how gentle the screening process is. Accordingly,traditional drum screens are inappropriate for use in separatingpolymer-aggregated solids from an ethanol production process.

Accordingly, there is continued need for improved systems and methodsfor separating suspended and dissolved solids and any other materials(e.g., corn oil) from thin stillage resulting from an ethanolfermentation and distillation process and system. The thin stillage istypically received as a hot (over 75° C.), acidic (typically less than4.5 pH) liquid with approximately 4% to approximately 6% total suspendedsolids and oils, and approximately 7% to approximately 8% total solids.The use of existing technology (thermal/chemical extraction techniques)only permits recovery in the range of approximately 74% to approximately82% of the total amount of oil in the grain.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Implementation of the invention provides systems and methods forseparating solids from liquids in an influent material stream, such asfrom thin stillage from a distillation process. Implementation of theinvention provides a rotating drum screen system or rotary drum screensystem for separating solids from liquids.

According to certain implementations of the invention, a rotating drumscreen system for separating solids from an influent material streamincludes a housing having a influent inlet at a influent inlet end, asolid discharge end and an area between the influent inlet end and thesolid discharge end, the influent inlet permitting a flow of influentcontaining solids in a flowing fluid into a hollow portion of a drumscreen positioned lengthwise in the area between the influent inlet endand the solid discharge end, the drum screen including a filter screenthat retains at least a portion of the solids within the hollow portionof the drum screen and which produces a liquid effluent that isdischarged from an outer surface of the drum screen, the retained solidsbeing removable from the drum screen via the solid discharge end. Therotating drum screen system also includes a head box disposed within thehollow portion of the drum screen proximate the influent inlet end andin fluid communication with the influent inlet, the head box having aplurality of fluid flow channel dividers dividing an influent streamreceived at the influent inlet into a plurality of ongoing streams anddirecting the plurality of ongoing streams outwardly against the drumscreen.

The head box may further include a plurality of regulators individuallyregulating a flow of each of the plurality of ongoing stream, and theplurality of regulators may be operated to evenly distribute theinfluent stream among the plurality of ongoing streams. The head box mayhave a generally flat bottom sloped to ensure that the head box drainssubstantially completely upon termination of the influent stream. Thehead box may be disposed at an elevated position within the drum screen,such that the plurality of ongoing streams initially contact the drumscreen at a position between a top-to-bottom centerline of the drumscreen and approximately 30° below the top-to-bottom centerline of thedrum screen. The elevated position of the head box may cause theplurality of ongoing streams to initially contact the drum screen at aposition between approximately 5° to approximately 20° below thetop-to-bottom centerline of the drum screen. The influent inlet and aportion of the head box in contact with the influent inlet may have arectangular cross-section.

The drum screen may include a flight or series of flights extending froman inner surface of the drum screen along a spiral path, the flight orseries of flights having a variable height along the drum screen, with afirst, lower, height proximate the influent inlet end and permitting adischarge of the head box to be placed proximate the filter screen, andwith a second, higher, height proximate the solid discharge end. Thefirst, lower, height of the flight or series of flights proximate theinfluent end may be a height less than or equal to approximately 2.5 cm.The ongoing streams leaving the discharge of the head box may have adepth of between 0.05 cm and 4.0 cm. The flight or series of flights maybe permanently affixed to screen sections of the filter screen to formscreen-flight sections, which screen-flight sections are reversiblyaffixed to a drum frame of the rotating drum screen system to form thedrum screen. Alternatively, the flight or series of flights may bepermanently affixed to a drum frame of the rotating drum screen systemto form a drum-frame-flight assembly, and screen sections may be affixedto an outer surface of the drum-frame-flight assembly. The screensections may be affixed to the outer surface of the drum-frame-flightassembly via either permanent affixation or reversible affixation.

The rotating drum screen system may include a screen cleaning systemhaving a plurality of spray bars operatively connected to a fluid sourceand adapted to spray a fluid through the filter screen in anexterior-to-interior direction. The fluid sprayed by the spray bar maybe air, a mixture of air and an aqueous solution, or an aqueoussolution.

The drum screen may have a non-stick perfluorocarbon coating disposed onthe filter screen. The non-stick perfluorocarbon coating may include amaterial such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride(PVDF), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy alkane(PFA), and ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE).

According to certain alternative implementations of the invention, arotating drum screen system for separating solids from an influentmaterial stream includes a housing having a influent inlet at a influentinlet end, a solid discharge end and an area between the influent inletend and the solid discharge end, the influent inlet permitting a flow ofinfluent containing solids in a flowing fluid into a hollow portion of adrum screen positioned lengthwise in the area between the influent inletend and the solid discharge end. The rotating drum screen system alsoincludes the drum screen, which includes a drum frame defining agenerally cylindrical volume and a plurality of screen-flight sectionsreversibly affixed to the drum frame, each screen-flight sectionscomprising a portion of a filter screen adapted to retain at least aportion of the solids within the hollow portion of the drum screen and aportion of a flight or series of flights permanently affixed to thefilter screen. The drum screen is adapted to produce a liquid effluentthat is discharged from an outer surface of the drum screen withretained solids being removable from the drum screen via the soliddischarge end.

The screen-flight sections may together form a flight or series offlights extending from an inner surface of the drum screen along aspiral path, the flight or series of flights having a variable heightalong the drum screen, with a first, lower, height proximate theinfluent inlet end and with a second, higher, height proximate the soliddischarge end.

The rotating drum screen system may also include a head box disposedwithin the hollow portion of the drum screen proximate the influentinlet end and in fluid communication with the influent inlet, the headbox having a plurality of fluid flow channel dividers dividing aninfluent stream received at the influent inlet into a plurality ofongoing streams and directing the plurality of ongoing streams outwardlyagainst the drum screen, wherein the first, lower, height of the flightor series of flights permits a discharge of the head box to be placedproximate the filter screen. The head box may further include aplurality of regulators individually regulating a flow of each of theplurality of ongoing stream, and wherein the plurality of regulators maybe operated to evenly distribute the influent stream among the pluralityof ongoing streams. The head box may have a generally flat bottom slopedto ensure that the head box drains substantially completely upontermination of the influent stream. The head box may be disposed at anelevated position within the drum screen, such that the plurality ofongoing streams initially contact the drum screen at a position betweena top-to-bottom centerline of the drum screen and approximately 30°below the top-to-bottom centerline of the drum screen. The elevatedposition of the head box may cause the plurality of ongoing streams toinitially contact the drum screen at a position between approximately 5°and approximately 20° below the top-to-bottom centerline of the drumscreen. The elevated position of the head box may cause the plurality ofongoing streams to initially contact the drum screen at a positionbetween approximately 4° and approximately 34° below the top-to-bottomcenterline of the drum screen.

The first, lower, height of the flight or series of flights proximatethe influent end may be a height less than or equal to approximately 2.5cm, and the second, higher, height of the flight or series of flightsmay be a height between 40% and 50% of a filter-screen-to-filter-screendiameter of the drum screen.

According to certain additional implementations of the invention, arotating drum screen system for separating solids from an influentmaterial stream includes a housing having a influent inlet at a influentinlet end, a solid discharge end and an area between the influent inletend and the solid discharge end, the influent inlet permitting a flow ofinfluent containing solids in a flowing fluid into a hollow portion of adrum screen positioned lengthwise in the area between the influent inletend and the solid discharge end. The rotating drum screen system alsoincludes the drum screen, which includes a filter screen adapted toretain at least a portion of the solids within the hollow portion of thedrum screen. The filter screen includes a plurality of stainless steelfilter elements defining a filter grid spacing for passage of liquidwhile retaining solids over a selected particle diameter and a non-stickperfluorocarbon coating disposed on the stainless steel filter elements.The drum screen is adapted to produce a liquid effluent that isdischarged from an outer surface of the drum screen with retained solidsbeing removable from the drum screen via the solid discharge end.

The non-stick perfluorocarbon coating may include a material such aspolytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF),fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA), andethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE).

The rotating drum screen system may further include a drum framedefining a generally cylindrical volume and a plurality of screen-flightsections reversibly affixed to the drum frame, each screen-flightsection comprising a portion of the filter screen adapted to retain atleast a portion of the solids within the hollow portion of the drumscreen and a portion of a flight or series of flights permanentlyaffixed to the filter screen. The screen-flight sections may togetherform a flight or series of flights extending from an inner surface ofthe drum screen along a spiral path, the flight or series of flightshaving a variable height along the drum screen, with a first, lower,height proximate the influent inlet end and with a second, higher,height proximate the solid discharge end.

The rotating drum screen system may include a drum frame defining agenerally cylindrical volume, a flight or series of flights permanentlyaffixed to the drum frame and extending from an inner surface of thedrum screen along a spiral path, the flight or series of flights havinga variable height along the drum screen, with a first, lower, heightproximate the influent inlet end and a second, higher, height proximatethe solid discharge end, the flight or series of flights and the drumframe defining a drum-frame-flight assembly, and a plurality of filterscreen sections affixed to an outer surface of the drum-frame-flightassembly.

The filter screen may permit passage of liquid at a rate of between 25and 30 gallons per minute per square foot. The rotating drum screen mayrevolve at a rate of between approximately 4 revolutions per minute(rpm) and approximately 25 rpm. Higher rpms provide more surface area offilter screen for passage of liquid, solid accumulation, and solidremoval. Accordingly, systems with higher flow and/or higher solids forremoval may incorporate higher drum screen revolution rates (rpms).

While the direction of rotation of the drum screen is not important, theinfluent material stream is deposited onto the drum screen such that thedirection of rotation of the drum screen is counter to the direction ofthe falling influent material stream when the influent material streamcontacts the drum screen.

According to certain further implementations of the invention, arotating drum screen system for separating solids from an influentmaterial stream includes a housing having a influent inlet at a influentinlet end, a solid discharge end and an area between the influent inletend and the solid discharge end, the influent inlet permitting a flow ofinfluent containing solids in a flowing fluid into a hollow portion of adrum screen positioned lengthwise in the area between the influent inletend and the solid discharge end. The system also includes the drumscreen. The drum screen includes a drum frame defining a generallycylindrical volume, a flight or series of flights permanently affixed tothe drum frame and extending from an inner surface of the drum screenalong a spiral path, the flight or series of flights having a variableheight along the drum screen, with a first, lower, height proximate theinfluent inlet end and a second, higher, height proximate the soliddischarge end, the flight or series of flights and the drum framedefining a drum-frame-flight assembly, and a plurality of filter screensections affixed to an outer surface of the drum-frame-flight assembly.The drum screen is adapted to produce a liquid effluent that isdischarged from an outer surface of the drum screen with retained solidsbeing removable from the drum screen via the solid discharge end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and features of the present invention will become more fullyapparent from the following description and appended claims, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that thesedrawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are,therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the inventionwill be described and explained with additional specificity and detailthrough the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a representative rotary drum screensystem;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective partially cutaway view of a representativedrum screen;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a motor and drive chain for driving arepresentative drum screen;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a representative head box;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a representative head box;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a representative head box;

FIG. 7 shows an end view depicting placement of a representative headbox within a representative drum screen;

FIG. 8 shows another end view depicting placement of a representativehead box within a representative drum screen;

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a representative head box in arepresentative drum screen;

FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a representative drum-frame-flightassembly;

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a first section of therepresentative drum-frame-flight assembly of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of a second section of therepresentative drum-frame-flight assembly of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 shows a top view of the first section of the representativedrum-frame-flight assembly of FIG. 10 with filter screen affixed to anouter surface thereof;

FIG. 14 shows a top view of the second section of the representativedrum-frame-flight assembly of FIG. 10 with filter screen affixed to anouter surface thereof;

FIG. 15 shows a side view of a representative drum screen;

FIG. 16 shows an end view of a representative drum screen;

FIG. 17 shows an enlarged end view of a portion of screen of therepresentative drum screen of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 shows a cross-sectional view of the representative drum screenof FIG. 16; and

FIG. 19 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a joint betweensections of the representative drum screen of FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A description of embodiments of the present invention will now be givenwith reference to the Figures. It is expected that the present inventionmay take many other forms and shapes, hence the following disclosure isintended to be illustrative and not limiting, and the scope of theinvention should be determined by reference to the appended claims.

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for separatingsolids from liquids in an influent material stream, such as from thinstillage from a distillation process. Embodiments of the inventionprovide a rotating drum screen system or rotary drum screen system forseparating solids from liquids.

According to certain embodiments of the invention, a rotating drumscreen system for separating solids from an influent material streamincludes a housing having a influent inlet at a influent inlet end, asolid discharge end and an area between the influent inlet end and thesolid discharge end, the influent inlet permitting a flow of influentcontaining solids in a flowing fluid into a hollow portion of a drumscreen positioned lengthwise in the area between the influent inlet endand the solid discharge end, the drum screen including a filter screenthat retains at least a portion of the solids within the hollow portionof the drum screen and which produces a liquid effluent that isdischarged from an outer surface of the drum screen, the retained solidsbeing removable from the drum screen via the solid discharge end. Therotating drum screen system also includes a head box disposed within thehollow portion of the drum screen proximate the influent inlet end andin fluid communication with the influent inlet, the head box having aplurality of fluid flow channel dividers dividing an influent streamreceived at the influent inlet into a plurality of ongoing streams anddirecting the plurality of ongoing streams outwardly against the drumscreen.

The head box may further include a plurality of regulators individuallyregulating a flow of each of the plurality of ongoing stream, and theplurality of regulators may be operated to evenly distribute theinfluent stream among the plurality of ongoing streams. The head box mayhave a generally flat bottom sloped to ensure that the head box drainssubstantially completely upon termination of the influent stream. Thehead box may be disposed at an elevated position within the drum screen,such that the plurality of ongoing streams initially contact the drumscreen at a position between a top-to-bottom centerline of the drumscreen and approximately 30° below the top-to-bottom centerline of thedrum screen. The elevated position of the head box may cause theplurality of ongoing streams to initially contact the drum screen at aposition between approximately 5° to approximately 20° below thetop-to-bottom centerline of the drum screen. The influent inlet and aportion of the head box in contact with the influent inlet may have arectangular cross-section.

The drum screen may include a flight or series of flights extending froman inner surface of the drum screen along a spiral path, the flight orseries of flights having a variable height along the drum screen, with afirst, lower, height proximate the influent inlet end and permitting adischarge of the head box to be placed proximate the filter screen, andwith a second, higher, height proximate the solid discharge end. Thefirst, lower, height of the flight or series of flights proximate theinfluent end may be a height less than or equal to approximately 2.5 cm.The ongoing streams leaving the discharge of the head box may have adepth of between 0.05 cm and 4.0 cm. The flight or series of flights maybe permanently affixed to screen sections of the filter screen to formscreen-flight sections, which screen-flight sections are reversiblyaffixed to a drum frame of the rotating drum screen system to form thedrum screen. Alternatively, the flight or series of flights may bepermanently affixed to a drum frame of the rotating drum screen systemto form a drum-frame-flight assembly, and screen sections may be affixedto an outer surface of the drum-frame-flight assembly. The screensections may be affixed to the outer surface of the drum-frame-flightassembly via either permanent affixation or reversible affixation.

The rotating drum screen system may include a screen cleaning systemhaving a plurality of spray bars operatively connected to a fluid sourceand adapted to spray a fluid through the filter screen in anexterior-to-interior direction. The fluid sprayed by the spray bar maybe air, a mixture of air and an aqueous solution, or an aqueoussolution.

The drum screen may have a non-stick perfluorocarbon coating disposed onthe filter screen. The non-stick perfluorocarbon coating may include amaterial such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride(PVDF), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy alkane(PFA), and ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE).

According to certain alternative embodiments of the invention, arotating drum screen system for separating solids from an influentmaterial stream includes a housing having a influent inlet at a influentinlet end, a solid discharge end and an area between the influent inletend and the solid discharge end, the influent inlet permitting a flow ofinfluent containing solids in a flowing fluid into a hollow portion of adrum screen positioned lengthwise in the area between the influent inletend and the solid discharge end. The rotating drum screen system alsoincludes the drum screen, which includes a drum frame defining agenerally cylindrical volume and a plurality of screen-flight sectionsreversibly affixed to the drum frame, each screen-flight sectioncomprising a portion of a filter screen adapted to retain at least aportion of the solids within the hollow portion of the drum screen and aportion of a flight or series of flights permanently affixed to thefilter screen. The drum screen is adapted to produce a liquid effluentthat is discharged from an outer surface of the drum screen withretained solids being removable from the drum screen via the soliddischarge end.

The screen-flight sections may together form a flight or series offlights extending from an inner surface of the drum screen along aspiral path, the flight or series of flights having a variable heightalong the drum screen, with a first, lower, height proximate theinfluent inlet end and with a second, higher, height proximate the soliddischarge end.

The rotating drum screen system may also include a head box disposedwithin the hollow portion of the drum screen proximate the influentinlet end and in fluid communication with the influent inlet, the headbox having a plurality of fluid flow channel dividers dividing aninfluent stream received at the influent inlet into a plurality ofongoing streams and directing the plurality of ongoing streams outwardlyagainst the drum screen, wherein the first, lower, height of the flightor series of flights permits a discharge of the head box to be placedproximate the filter screen. The head box may further include aplurality of regulators individually regulating a flow of each of theplurality of ongoing stream, and wherein the plurality of regulators maybe operated to evenly distribute the influent stream among the pluralityof ongoing streams. The head box may have a generally flat bottom slopedto ensure that the head box drains substantially completely upontermination of the influent stream. The head box may be disposed at anelevated position within the drum screen, such that the plurality ofongoing streams initially contact the drum screen at a position betweena top-to-bottom centerline of the drum screen and approximately 30°below the top-to-bottom centerline of the drum screen. The elevatedposition of the head box may cause the plurality of ongoing streams toinitially contact the drum screen at a position between approximately 5°and approximately 20° below the top-to-bottom centerline of the drumscreen. The elevated position of the head box may cause the plurality ofongoing streams to initially contact the drum screen at a positionbetween approximately 4° and approximately 34° below the top-to-bottomcenterline of the drum screen (e.g., 109°+/−15° around the drum screenfrom the uppermost point of the drum screen).

The first, lower, height of the flight or series of flights proximatethe influent end may be a height less than or equal to approximately 2.5cm, and the second, higher, height of the flight or series of flightsmay be a height between 40% and 50% of a filter-screen-to-filter-screendiameter of the drum screen.

According to certain additional embodiments of the invention, a rotatingdrum screen system for separating solids from an influent materialstream includes a housing having a influent inlet at a influent inletend, a solid discharge end and an area between the influent inlet endand the solid discharge end, the influent inlet permitting a flow ofinfluent containing solids in a flowing fluid into a hollow portion of adrum screen positioned lengthwise in the area between the influent inletend and the solid discharge end. The rotating drum screen system alsoincludes the drum screen, which includes a filter screen adapted toretain at least a portion of the solids within the hollow portion of thedrum screen. The filter screen includes a plurality of stainless steelfilter elements defining a filter grid spacing for passage of liquidwhile retaining solids over a selected particle diameter and a non-stickperfluorocarbon coating disposed on the stainless steel filter elements.The drum screen is adapted to produce a liquid effluent that isdischarged from an outer surface of the drum screen with retained solidsbeing removable from the drum screen via the solid discharge end.

The non-stick perfluorocarbon coating may include a material such aspolytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF),fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA), andethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE).

The rotating drum screen system may further include a drum framedefining a generally cylindrical volume and a plurality of screen-flightsections reversibly affixed to the drum frame, each screen-flightsection comprising a portion of the filter screen adapted to retain atleast a portion of the solids within the hollow portion of the drumscreen and a portion of a flight or series of flights permanentlyaffixed to the filter screen. The screen-flight sections may togetherform a flight or series of flights extending from an inner surface ofthe drum screen along a spiral path, the flight or series of flightshaving a variable height along the drum screen, with a first, lower,height proximate the influent inlet end and with a second, higher,height proximate the solid discharge end.

The rotating drum screen system may include a drum frame defining agenerally cylindrical volume, a flight or series of flights permanentlyaffixed to the drum frame and extending from an inner surface of thedrum screen along a spiral path, the flight or series of flights havinga variable height along the drum screen, with a first, lower, heightproximate the influent inlet end and a second, higher, height proximatethe solid discharge end, the flight or series of flights and the drumframe defining a drum-frame-flight assembly, and a plurality of filterscreen sections affixed to an outer surface of the drum-frame-flightassembly.

The filter screen may permit passage of liquid at a rate of between 25and 30 gallons per minute per square foot. The rotating drum screen mayrevolve at a rate of between approximately 4 revolutions per minute(rpm) and approximately 25 rpm. Higher rpms provide more surface area offilter screen for passage of liquid, solid accumulation, and solidremoval. Accordingly, systems with higher flow and/or higher solids forremoval may incorporate higher drum screen revolution rates (rpms).

While the direction of rotation of the drum screen is not important, theinfluent material stream is deposited onto the drum screen such that thedirection of rotation of the drum screen is counter to the direction ofthe falling influent material stream when the influent material streamcontacts the drum screen.

According to certain further embodiments of the invention, a rotatingdrum screen system for separating solids from an influent materialstream includes a housing having a influent inlet at a influent inletend, a solid discharge end and an area between the influent inlet endand the solid discharge end, the influent inlet permitting a flow ofinfluent containing solids in a flowing fluid into a hollow portion of adrum screen positioned lengthwise in the area between the influent inletend and the solid discharge end. The system also includes the drumscreen. The drum screen includes a drum frame defining a generallycylindrical volume, a flight or series of flights permanently affixed tothe drum frame and extending from an inner surface of the drum screenalong a spiral path, the flight or series of flights having a variableheight along the drum screen, with a first, lower, height proximate theinfluent inlet end and a second, higher, height proximate the soliddischarge end, the flight or series of flights and the drum framedefining a drum-frame-flight assembly, and a plurality of filter screensections affixed to an outer surface of the drum-frame-flight assembly.The drum screen is adapted to produce a liquid effluent that isdischarged from an outer surface of the drum screen with retained solidsbeing removable from the drum screen via the solid discharge end.

In general (and as mentioned above), some embodiments of the describedsystems and methods utilize systems and methods for forming stableparticles from suspended solids produced by ethanol fermentation. Whilethe described methods can comprise any suitable steps or process, atleast in some embodiments, the described methods comprise a method forforming stable particles from suspended solids produced by ethanolfermentation. In some embodiments, such a method comprises one or moreoptional steps including a fermentation step, an ethanol step, adistillation step, a 190 proof ethanol step, a molecular sieve step, a200 proof ethanol step, a whole stillage step, a centrifuge step, a wetgrains step, a dryer step, a dried grains step, a thin stillage step,and/or a treatment step.

The fermentation step can include any suitable fermentation processincluding the fermentation of a suitable feedstock. The ethanol step cancomprise the resulting ethanol fraction from the fermentation step,together with the fermented and unfermented feedstock solids. Thedistillation step can comprise one or more distillation steps to isolateethanol from the feedstock solids. The 190 proof ethanol step cancomprise recovering 190 proof ethanol from the distillation step. Themolecular sieve step can comprise any suitable methods or process todehydrate the 190 proof ethanol. The 200 proof ethanol step can compriserecovering 200 proof ethanol from the molecular sieve step. The wholestillage step can comprise recovering the remaining fraction from thedistillation step. The centrifuge step can comprise any suitablemechanical separation process for separating a wet grains fraction froma thin stillage fraction. The wet grains step can comprise recoveringwet grains, including fermented and unfermented feedstock solids, fromthe centrifuge step. The dryer step can comprise any suitable method ofdrying the wet grains. The dried grains step can comprise any suitablestep for recovering the dried grains from the drying step. The thinstillage step can comprise any suitable step for recovering a liquidfraction or thin stillage from the centrifuge step. The treatment stepcan comprise any suitable method for treating the thin stillage togenerate and stabilized particles formed from solids and suspendedsolids.

In some embodiments, stillage can refer to any fraction produced byfermentation. In other embodiments, whole stillage can refer to what issometimes known in the industry as slops, thick stillage, beer bottoms,spent mash, and/or spent grains. In yet other embodiments, thin stillagecan refer to what is sometimes known in the industry as centrate, backset, set back, evaporator feed, slop, and/or solubles. In someembodiments, wet grains can refer to wet cake and/or wet distillersgrains (WDG). In some ethanol fermentation embodiments, vinasse canrefer to a fraction remaining after fermentation of sugarcane and/orsugar beet such as cane-vinasse or beet-vinasse.

While the treatment step can comprise any suitable steps or process, atleast in some embodiments, that treatment step comprises one or moreoptional steps including without limitation, a pH adjustment step, areducing agent step, a polymer step, a separation step, a stableparticles step, and/or a treated liquid fraction step. The treatmentstep can be applied to any suitable fraction produced by ethanolfermentation. In some embodiments, the treatment step is applied towhole stillage. In other embodiments, the treatment step is applied tothin stillage. In yet other embodiments, the treatment step is appliedto vinasse. In still other embodiments, the treatment step is applied tothe applicable solid-liquid material resulting from the applicablefermentation process, however named (e.g., in tequila manufacturing asin rum production, the varying terms most used are: vinasse, spent wash,and dunder). In general, the treatment step can reduce the concentrationof total solids and, more specifically, total suspended solids in thetreated fraction by forming total suspended solids into stable particlesthat can be separated from the treated liquid fraction. In someembodiments, the fraction to be treated comprises greater than 5% totalsolids. In other embodiments, the fraction to be treated comprisesgreater than 9% to 10% total solids. In yet other embodiments, thefraction to be treated comprises greater than 14% total solids.

In some embodiments, the polymer step comprises any suitable methods,processes, and/or steps to add high molecular weight anionic polymer tothe fraction to be treated. The polymer facilitates forming stableparticles from the fraction to be treated. The polymer can include anyhigh molecular weight anionic polymer suitable for forming stableparticles. For example, the high molecular weight anionic polymer cancomprise polymers with a molecular weight greater than 10,000,000 Da.The high molecular weight anionic polymer can comprise polymers with amolecular weight greater than 15,000,000 Da. The high molecular weightanionic polymer can comprise polymers with a molecular weight greaterthan 20,000,000 Da. In some embodiments, the high molecular weightanionic polymer comprises polymers with a molecular weight between about16,000,000 and 25,000,000 Da. In some embodiments, the high molecularweight anionic polymer comprises polymers with a molecular weight ofabout 20,000,000 and 25,000,000 Da. In other embodiments, the highmolecular weight anionic polymer comprises polymers with a molecularweight of about 22,000,000 million Da. In general, the high molecularweight anionic polymer is selected to form stable particles and to formparticles that can be separated. The high molecular weight anionicpolymer can be selected to form particles that can be easily separatedby mechanical separation. The high molecular weight anionic polymer canbe selected to form particles that facilitate free draining. The highmolecular weight anionic polymer can selected from a GRAS polymer. Thehigh molecular weight anionic polymer can selected from a food gradepolymer. The high molecular weight anionic polymer can selected from akosher polymer.

In some embodiments, the high molecular weight anionic polymer isselected from a polyacrylamide. In other embodiments, the level ofanionicity is obtained by copolymerization with acrylic acid. In yetother embodiments, the high molecular weight anionic polymer has ananionicity of at least 50 mole percent. In some embodiments, the highmolecular weight anionic polymer has an anionicity of at least 60 molepercent. In some embodiments, the high molecular weight anionic polymerhas an anionicity of at least 70 mole percent. In some embodiments, thehigh molecular weight anionic polymer has an anionicity of at least 80mole percent. In some embodiments, the high molecular weight anionicpolymer has an anionicity of at least 90 mole percent. In someembodiments, the high molecular weight anionic polymer has an anionicityof at least 95 mole percent. In other embodiments, the high molecularweight anionic polymer has an anionicity of between 50 and 100 molepercent.

High molecular weight anionic polymers can include any suitablepolymers. For example, high molecular weight anionic polymer can includeone or more of suitable polymers sourced from Florget (SNF, Inc.,Riceboro, Ga., USA). The high molecular weight anionic polymer caninclude one or more of: AN 956 SH, GR, VHM (VHM=very high molecularcharge); AN956 VHM with 50 mole % charge; AN 977 VHM with 70 mole %charge; and/or AN 999 VHM with 100 mole % charge.

Embodiments of the invention discussed herein are more particularlydirected toward the separation step to separate the flocculatedpolymer-solid particles from the more liquid fraction of the thinstillage. Accordingly, any process that creates flocculated particlesfrom the thin stillage may be utilized, including processes that rely onthe addition of cationic polymers instead of anionic polymers. Thecationic polymer process relies on addition of a silica sol (a stableaqueous dispersion or sol of discrete amorphous silica particles asdefined in the article “Silica Sols and Colloidal Silica,” VanNostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, 2007, available athttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/0471743984.vse9039/abstract).

As discussed herein, the flocculated particles so formed, regardless ofthe polymer used, tend to be sufficiently fragile so as to limit therecovery by high-energy separation processes. Accordingly, upon additionof the polymer (either anionic or cationic) to the thin stillage,mechanical mixing and/or pumping of the thin stillage is limited.Instead, any further transport of the thin stillage/polymer mixture,after allowing sufficient time for aggregation of the TS/TSS with thepolymer in the flocculating step (e.g., fifteen seconds to two minutes),is achieved without mechanical mixing/pumping in a non-shearing manner,such as by gravity feed and the like. Embodiments of the inventionreceive the thin stillage/polymer mixture as an influent, and provideand efficient system and method for generally separating the flocculatedparticles from the thin stillage to produce a recoverable more-solidportion and a clarified thin stillage (more-liquid portion) that can bereused as backset or that may be further treated as necessary. Thesystem for separating the more-solid portion from the more-liquidportion of the thin stillage is a rotating drum screen system or rotarydrum screen system as illustrated in FIGS. 1-9.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exterior perspective view of an exemplary rotatingdrum screen system 10 for separating solids from an influent materialstream. The system 10 includes a housing 12, which in this exampleessentially encloses and defines an interior space. In other examples,the housing 12 need not entirely enclose an interior space, but may beessentially open on a side and/or top of the housing 12. The housing 12includes an influent inlet 14 by which an influent (e.g., thin stillageto which an effective amount of polymer has been added and allowed tobond with solids) may be introduced into the interior space defined bythe housing 12. The housing 12 also includes a solid discharge end 16 bywhich solids separated from the influent may be discharged or removedfrom the interior space for further processing or disposal. The housing12 also includes one or more access doors 18 that may permit orfacilitate access to one or more locations within the housing 12, suchas to monitor function of the system 10 or to permit servicing of thesystem 10 or its components. The housing 12 further includes a liquiddischarge port 20, by which liquid that has been separated from thesolids may be discharged or removed from the housing 12 for furtherprocessing, discharge, recycling, reuse, or other use.

The system 10 generally receives the influent, separates the influentinto liquid and solid portions, and discharges the liquid via agravity-fed process. Accordingly, the liquid discharge port 20 islocated at a lower portion of the housing 12 in the example of FIG. 1.In other examples, once the liquid has been separated from the influent,a pump may be used to pump the separated liquid from the housing, and insuch instances the liquid discharge port 20 may be located other thantoward a bottom or lower area of the housing 12. While not illustratedin FIG. 1, the liquid discharge port 20 may be operatively attached todischarge piping or some other structure adapted to receive or removethe liquid from the vicinity of the system 10 for further processing,discharge, recycling, reuse, or any other purpose. Similarly, theinfluent inlet 14 may be operatively attached to inlet piping or otherstructure adapted to deliver influent to the system 10 for separation ofsolids from the influent.

The influent inlet 14 is generally disposed at an influent end of thehousing 12, or an influent end of the housing 12 is defined by havingthe influent inlet 14 located there. As discussed, influent enters thehousing 12 at the influent inlet 14, or in other words at the influentend of the housing 12. The solid discharge end 16 of the housing 12 isgenerally located at an opposite end of the housing 12, whereby agenerally linear flow path is defined through the housing 12 from theinfluent end of the housing 12 to the solid discharge end 16 of thehousing 12. Solids in the influent generally flow through the housing 12along this generally linear flow path from the influent end to the soliddischarge end 16, being separated from the liquid portion of theinfluent while within the housing 12. The solids are then discharged orremoved from the housing 12 at the solid discharge end 16, and may betaken for further processing or disposal in batches (e.g., via some sortof container or cart) or continuously (e.g., via a conveyor or thelike).

The housing 12 generally contains a drum screen 30 within the interiorspace defined by the housing 12. FIG. 2 illustrates an illustrativesection of a representative drum screen 30. The drum screen 30 isgenerally cylindrical, and extends within the housing 12 generally fromthe influent end to the solid discharge end 16. Portions of the housing12 surrounding the drum screen 30 may represent a liquid capture areaadapted to capture liquid passing through the drum screen 30 and todirect liquid so captured to the liquid discharge port 20 or to a pumpor other mechanism adapted to remove liquid from the housing 12. Atleast a portion of a discharge end 34 of the drum screen 30 proximatethe solid discharge end 16 of the housing 12 may protrude past theliquid capture area of the housing 12, such that solids discharged orremoved from the discharge end 34 of the drum screen 30 do not fall backinto the liquid separated from the influent by the drum screen 30.

The drum screen 30 in some embodiments may be formed in sections boltedtogether at flange 32 disposed at each end of the drum screen section.Forming the drum screen 30 in sections that can be bolted togetherallows the system to have a drum screen 30 of any desired length/sizeand capacity (such as being able to receive flows in excess of 500gallons per minute), without requiring an increase in the gauge of thewire used to form the drum screen 30. Requiring an increased wire gaugewould reduce the amount of open space of the drum screen 30 that permitsthe passage of the liquid portion of the influent, which would reduceefficiency of the system 10. Having the drum screen 30 manufactured insections, allows it to extend any desired length, and the weight of eachsection may be separately supported by trunnion bearings placed tosupport the flange 32. Accordingly, the wire gauge for the drum screen30 can be maintained as a fine size (such as under forty-seven gauge) tomaximize efficiency of the drum screen 30 at permitting passage ofliquid therethrough.

The drum screen 30 proximate the influent end of the housing 12 may beadapted to minimize or prevent the loss of influent from the drum screen30 into the liquid capture area of the housing 12. For example, aninfluent inlet end 36 of the drum screen 30 may be made generallywatertight against the housing 12 to prevent loss of influent from thedrum screen 30 in the direction of the influent end of the housing 12.Alternatively, the influent inlet end 36 of the drum screen 30 mayinclude or be attached to a raised lip (not shown in FIG. 2) thatgenerally prevents or minimizes flow of influent and/or solids out ofthe drum screen 30 in the direction of the influent inlet end 36. Asanother alternative, influent may be directed within the drum screen 30by a head box 50 (as illustrated in FIGS. 4-6), and the drum screen 30may be adapted to retain the influent against movement toward theinfluent end of the housing 12 by rotation of the drum screen 30 aroundits longitudinal axis and by a flight 38 or series of flights 38disposed in a generally spiral fashion along on an inner surface of thedrum screen 30. The flight 38 or series of flights 38 causetransportation of any materials within the drum screen 30 toward thesolid discharge end 16 due to the rotation of the drum screen 30.

Rotation of the drum screen 30 around its longitudinal axis within thehousing 12 may be provided, for example, by a motor 40 and drive chain42, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The drive chain 42 may engage a gear 44disposed on one end of the drum screen 30 (either at the influent inletend 36 or at the discharge end 34). The motor 40 may be moistureresistant, and/or it may optionally be located externally to the housing12 so as to minimize its exposure to water and humidity from theinfluent and/or separated liquid. When the system 10 is in use, themotor 40 operates continuously to ensure that material within the drumscreen 30 is continually moved toward the discharge end 34 of the drumscreen 30 by the flight 38 or series of flights 38 and thus out thesolid discharge end 16 of the housing 12.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the flight 38 or series of flights 38 extendgenerally inwardly from an inner surface of the drum screen 30, but theflight 38 or series of flights 38 do not have a uniform pitch andheight. Toward the influent inlet end 36, the flight 38 or series offlights 38 have a generally lower height and a generally higher pitch(distance traveled per revolution of the drum screen 30), while theflight 38 or series of flights 38 toward the discharge end 34 have agenerally taller height and a generally lower pitch. The lower height ofthe flight 38 or series of flights 38 toward the influent inlet end 36allows influent to be discharged closer to the inner surface of the drumscreen 30, thereby minimizing the impact energy of the influent andreducing dissociation of the polymer from the solids, whereby the drumscreen 30 retains an increased quantity of polymer-solid aggregate. Byway of example, the flight 38 or series of flights 38 may have a heightranging from approximately one-quarter inch to approximately one inchtoward the influent inlet end 36. The flight 38 or series of flights 38may have a height approaching as much as 49% to 50% of theinner-surface-to-inner-surface diameter of the drum screen 30 in someembodiments toward the discharge end 34. In other embodiments, theflight 38 or series of flights 38 has a height selected from anypercentage of the inner-surface-to-inner-surface diameter of the drumscreen 30 between approximately 25% to approximately 50% toward thedischarge end 34.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the height and pitch of the flight 38 orseries of flights 38 may optionally change in pitch and height at asingle lengthwise location and all at once, as a discontinuity between afirst portion of the flight 38 or series of flights 38 and a secondportion of the flight 38 or series of flights 38. In other words, theheight and pitch of the flight 38 or series of flights 38 may transitionat a single lengthwise location from low and high-pitch to tall andlow-pitch. In such embodiments, the lengthwise location of transitionwill occur at some point toward the discharge end 34 of the location atwhich the influent is discharged onto the drum screen 30. In someembodiments, the lengthwise location of transition may be immediatelytoward the discharge end 34 of the location at which the influent isdischarged onto the drum screen 30. In other embodiments, the lengthwiselocation of transition may be at any selected location more toward thedischarge end 34. Alternatively (not shown in FIG. 2), the height andpitch of the flight 38 or series of flights 38 may transition graduallyfrom low and high-pitch to high and low-pitch, without any discontinuitybetween the two states of the flights 38 or series of flights 38.

The higher pitch of the flight 38 or flights 38 toward the influentinlet end 36 helps ensure that influent discharged onto the screen drum30 is directed toward the discharge end 34 despite the lower height ofthe flight 38 or flights 38 in this area. Meanwhile, the lower pitch ofthe flight 38 or series of flights 38 toward the discharge end 34increases the time that materials are retained on the drum screen 30,thereby maximizing the time for liquids within the influent to beseparated from the solid component (e.g., the polymer-solid aggregate)and for such liquids to pass through the surface of the drum screen 30.The increased height of the flight 38 or series of flights 38 toward thedischarge end 34 ensures that the material in the drum screen 30(primarily and increasingly solids such as polymer-solid aggregate asthe material moves toward the discharge end 34) does not bypass spacesbetween the flights 38 or series of flights 38 (in other words, does notflow over any flight 38), allowing sufficient time for liquid-solidseparation. The increased height of the flight 38 or series of flights38 also ensures eventual discharge of the separated solids out the soliddischarge end 34.

The flight 38 or series of flights 38 may have any desiredcross-sectional profile. In some embodiments, the flight 38 or series offlights 38 has a generally even cross-sectional profile, with the baseof the flight 38 or series of flights 38 being approximately equal inthickness to the top of the flight 38 or series of flights 38. In otherembodiments, the flight 38 or series of flights 38 has a broader basewhere it engages the inner surface of the drum screen 30 and a narrowertop away from the drum screen 36 (potentially a generally triangularprofile). The cross-sectional profile of the flights 38 may vary fromthe influent inlet end 36 to the discharge end 34 of the drum screen 30as well. Embodiments of the invention embrace flights 38 of anycross-sectional profile.

As discussed, the flight 38 or series of flights 38 extend from an innersurface of the drum screen 30. The inner surface of the drum screen 30(between the flight 38 or series of flights 38) is formed of sections offilter screen 46. Each section of filter screen 46 may extend around aportion of the drum screen 30, such as around 90°, 120°, or 180° of thedrum screen 30. The filter screen 46 may be a wedge wire screen formedof a plurality of parallel spaced wedge wires disposed on spaced supportbeams or rods. Wedge wire screens are strong, low clogging, and easy toclean, and are well adapted to separation of liquids and solids. Thewedge wire used in the filter screen 46 may have varying profiles, butare generally formed of stainless steel, such as SAE 316 stainless steel(also known as marine grade stainless steel) or SAE 304 stainless steel.Wedge wire screens have three variables that control the rate at whichliquids are separated and pass through the screen surface, leavingsolids on the surface. The first is the thickness of the wire used tocreate the screen surface. The second is the gap between the wires. Thethird is the tip angle, which is the angle at which the leading edge ofthe wire is oriented from horizontal. Depending on the variables of wirethickness and gap distance between each wire, the screen has a freedrainage area defined as the amount of open space per unit area of thescreen.

Embodiments of the invention embrace use of a broad range of filterscreens 44 having a variety of characteristics relating to these threevariables. Certain embodiments of filter screens 44 for use inseparation of aggregated solids from thin stillage have wire diametersbetween #20 wire and #47 wire to facilitate the solid capture rate. Someembodiments of filter screens 44 for use in separation of solids fromthin stillage have a gap space between the wedge wires of betweenapproximately 0.001 inches and approximately 0.024 inches to facilitateaggregated solid capture. In some embodiments, a tip angle of betweenapproximately 2° and approximately 8° facilitates solid capture. Thefilter screen 46 in the example of FIG. 2 is oriented within the drumscreen 30 so as to create shear in the influent deposited on the filterscreen 46; the wedge wires accordingly run approximately parallel to therotational axis of the drum screen 30.

The sections of filter screen 46 are attached to a drum frame 48 of thedrum screen 30. The drum frame 48 may have any number of frame membersthat generally define the shape of the drum screen 30 and providesupport for the sections of filter screen 46 and the flight 38 or seriesof flights 38. In traditional drum screens, the flights that movematerial within the drum screen are generally welded to the frame of thedrum screen. In embodiments of the drum screen 30, such as shown in FIG.2, however, the flight 38 or series of flights 38 are formed in sectionsthat are welded or similarly permanently attached to the individualsections of filter screen 46, such that the sections of filter screen 46can be removed, with their attached sections of flight 38, from the drumframe 48. Thus, individual sections of filter screen 46 and attachedflight 38 may be removed and replaced as necessary for purposes such asrepair, replacement, or cleaning. For purposes of this application, theterm “permanently” when used in reference to the attachment between thesections of flight 38 and the sections of filter screen 46 is intendedto refer to welding or similar means of attachment that is not readilyreversible by operation of conventional tools. In contrast, thefilter-screen-flight sections are reversibly attached to the drum frame48. The term “reversibly” when used in reference to the attachmentbetween the filter-screen-flight sections and the drum frame 48 isintended to refer to bolting of the sections to the drum frame 48 orother similar means of attachment (e.g., screwing, riveting, etc.) thatcan be reasonably readily reversible such that detachment can beeffectuated on-site with reasonable tool use. Accordingly, if necessary,the interior of the housing 12 may be accessed using one or more of theaccess doors 18, then the interior of the drum screen 30 may be accessedby removing one or more sections of filter screen 46 (with its attachedsections(s) of flight 38) from the drum frame 48.

In such a fashion, the interior of the drum screen 30 may be accessedand serviced without either completely disassembling the rotary drumscreen system 10 (or at least without removing the drum screen 30 fromthe housing 12) and without requiring access to the interior of the drumscreen 30 from the discharge end 34. As the flights 38 in someembodiments of the drum screen extend as much as approximately half theinner-surface-to-inner-surface diameter of the drum screen 30 in anyevent, access to the interior of the drum screen 30 from the dischargeend 34 would be difficult in any event.

While embodiments of the system 10 permit access to the interior of thedrum screen 30 by removal of one or more sections of the filter screen46, and while such access may permit cleaning of the drum screen 30,embodiments of the system 10 include systems that facilitate operationalcleaning of the drum screen 30 and particularly of the filter screen 46while the drum screen 30 is in place and even in use. A clean-in-placesystem utilizes clean fluid applied to the back (outside) of the filterscreen 46 so as to help clean the screen. As the system 10 is intendedto dewater the solids in the influent (e.g., thin stillage), the fluidutilized by the clean-in-place system may be clean dry air so as topermit cleaning without adding water to the process. Alternatively, ifair alone is insufficient to achieve a desired amount of cleaning, asmall amount of water may be added to the air flow to increase thecleaning capacity of the air. Further, the clean-in-place system may beadapted to utilize water as the cleaning fluid from time-to-time.

The clean-in-place system includes a set of nozzles disposed within thehousing 12 and external to the drum screen 30, such as within a top halfof the housing 12, and along the length of the drum screen 30 such thatthe entire length of the drum screen 30 is exposed to the output of atleast one nozzle. The nozzles are aimed toward the drum screen 30. Thenozzles may operate together, as groups, or individually. As oneexample, all nozzles receive and apply cleaning fluid (air, air/watermix, or water, etc.) simultaneously. As another example, a first groupof cleaning nozzles, such as a group of nozzles more proximate theinfluent inlet end 36, receive and apply cleaning fluid separately andindependently from a second group of cleaning nozzles, such as a groupof nozzles more proximate the discharge end 34. As another example,three or more zones of nozzles operate independently. When there is morethan one group of nozzles operating independently, the flow of cleaningfluid through each group may be optimized to facilitate cleaning of asection of the drum screen 30 proximate such group of nozzles.

As one particular example, the nozzles of the clean-in-place system arefunctionally grouped into two groups, one group functionally placed soas to clean a portion of the drum screen associated with thelower-height flights 38. This portion of the drum screen 30 isassociated with a head box delivering the influent to the interior ofthe drum screen 30 as is discussed in more detail below. Accordingly,the first group of nozzles of the clean-in-place system is functionallyassociated with cleaning a portion of the drum screen 30 adapted toinitially receive the influent. The material on this portion of the drumscreen 30 will generally have a higher liquid/water content as thisportion of the drum screen 30 receives material before significantsolid-liquid separation has occurred. A second group of the nozzles ofthe clean-in-place system is functionally placed so as to clean aportion of the drum screen associated with the higher-height flights 38.As the material on this portion of the drum screen 30 has been retainedwithin the drum screen 30 for a longer time, more of the liquid has beenseparated out, so the material has a lower water/liquid content. As maybe appreciated, different portions of the drum screen 30 containmaterials of different liquid compositions, and accordingly differentcleaning practices may be called for.

For example, the clean-in-place system may operate the different groupsof cleaning nozzles differently. One group of nozzles may utilize lesscleaning fluid (air, air-water mixture, etc.), or may utilize a gentlerpressure when applying the cleaning fluid. The clean-in-place system mayoperate each group of nozzles continuously or intermittently, asoccasion demands. Each section of the clean-in-place system may have itsown water mixing valve and control valve such that any combination ofair, air and water, or water only can be applied to the associatedsection of the drum screen 30. Accordingly, the clean-in-place systemmay be operated at any time when the system 10 is in use, including whenthe system 10 is in continuous use, so as to ensure that the drum screen30 remains sufficiently clean to permit passage of liquid through thespaces between the wedge wires of the sections of filter screen 46.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the clean-in-place system may includeone or more additional nozzles within the drum screen 30, and moreparticularly within the head box inside the drum screen 30. Such nozzlesmay permit high-flow cleaning of the head box from time to time, andparticularly when the system 10 is to be shut down. Such high-flowcleaning may ensure that no influent remains in the head box to dry outand clog the head box before resumption of operation of the system 10.

The clean-in-place system may aid in keeping the sections of filterscreen 46 clean, but to further assist in keeping the sections of filterscreen 46 clean and to further enhance the separation of solids and oilsfrom the water component of the influent, the sections of filter screen46 may be modified from traditional wedge wire screens. As discussedpreviously, the wedge wire screens may be formed of marine gradestainless steel or SAE 304 stainless steel. Unfortunately, barestainless steel has a surface charge that decreases the screen'sefficiency in separating liquids and solids. Accordingly, to increaseefficiency of separation, the surface of the sections of filter screen46 may be modified with a nonstick coating that enhances liquid-solidseparation and also aids in keeping the sections of filter screen 46clean, thereby increasing the efficiency of the clean-in-place system.

To cause aggregation of the solids within the influent (e.g., thinstillage), one or more polymers is added to the influent and allowed toreact prior to the influent being fed to the system 10. A variety ofpolymers have been disclosed and used to separate solids from the liquidcomponent of the thin stillage, but typical polymers are anionic orcationic. The polymers may have a variety of molecular weights andassociated intrinsic viscosity, charges (dl/g), and viscosity (cP). Toimprove the function of the filter screen 46 at retaining solids andenhancing flow through the filter screen 46, a fluorocarbon nonstickcoating is applied to the filter screen 46 to modify the polarity of thesurface of the filter screen 46 to make the surface both hydrophobic andoleophobic/lipophobic. Use of such coatings improves solids capture aswell as capture of oils present in the influent.

The coating applied to the filter screen 46 may be one of a variety offluorocarbons such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), perfluoroalkoxyalkanes (PFA), or ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). Thesefluorocarbons can be used as surface that is both hydrophobic andlipophobic, thereby increasing the solids formed and separated from theliquid of the influent and also increasing the oil content of the solidsremoved from the liquid. The coating changes the polarity and thereforethe physical interface between the liquids and the solids of theinfluent. The solid-oil mixture so separated and retained in the drumscreen 30 is essentially equivalent to syrup but without requiring thetraditional evaporation process, or to the extent the separatedsolid-oil mixture still retains more water than traditional syrup, theremaining water can be removed with only minimal additional evaporation(thus requiring less energy input for heating). The coating applied tothe surface has a higher coefficient of dynamic friction, particularlythe FEP coating. The result is a significant change in the polarity ofthe stainless steel from hydrophilic and slightly lipophilic tohydrophobic and lipophobic. The angle of contact of water (θ_(c)) onPTFE surfaces has been measured at 110°, assisting in the separation ofliquids from solids and facilitating passage of liquid through thefilter screen 46. By way of example, an uncoated stainless steel screenhaving a through flow of between 12 to 15 gallons of water per minuteper square foot may have a through flow of 24 to 30 gallons per minuteper square foot with no loss of solids or oil capture.

As a result of the coating of the filter screen 46, the percent solidsrecovery of the drum screen 30 is improved by approximately 20% toapproximately 23% percent, from 16%-18% solids (dry weight basis) to21%-23% percent solids (dry weight basis). On a small scale of 30 to 40gallons per minute (gpm), the increase in the oil recovery has increasedfrom the typical 74% to 82% recovery in a fuel ethanol plant to 80% to88% recovery, a 6% to 8% increase in the recovery of oil in theresultant syrup equivalent. The oil is easily extractable bynon-chemical means or surfactants. Nevertheless, the addition of asurfactant such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or sodium lauryl sulfateat a point prior to addition of the polymer to the thin stillage wouldimprove oil recovery even more.

As discussed herein, the force at which the flocculated particles formedof polymer and aggregated TS/TSS and other materials contacts the screenshould be minimized so as to minimize dissociation of the aggregatedmaterials from the polymer. Otherwise, the recovery of the TS/TSS andother materials is limited. Accordingly, the system 10 further includesa head box 50 (shown in FIGS. 4-6) that is disposed within the housing12 and within the interior defined by the drum screen 30 in a locationintended to deposit the flow of influent onto the drum screen 30 (andmore particularly onto the filter screen 46 with minimal impact energy.One way in which the impact energy is minimized is by positioning adischarge 52 of the head box 50 at a location within the drum screen 30so as to minimize the distance the influent flows after leaving thedischarge 52 before impacting the filter screen 46. This is achieved, inpart, by way of the lower height of the portion of the flight 38 orseries of flights 38 at locations of the drum screen 30 proximate thehead box 50, as discussed previously.

Because the height of the flight 38 or series of flights 38 is low inthis area, the discharge 52 of the head box 52 can be positionedproximate the surface of the drum screen 30 provided by the sections offilter screen 46. Accordingly, there is less distance traveled by theinfluent once it leaves the discharge 52 of the head box 50. Thepositioning of the head box 50 within the drum screen 30 to achieve thisminimal influent travel distance is illustrated in FIGS. 7-9. As is bestillustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the head box 50, its discharge 52, andparticularly an inlet 54 of the head box 50 may optionally be positionedabove a center 56 of the drum screen 30. This upward positioning allowsthe influent to flow generally downward from the inlet 54 while stillallowing the influent to leave the discharge 52 of the head box 50 nearthe side of the drum screen 30. Accordingly, the influent leaves thedischarge 52 at a point near which the wall of the drum screen 30 ismore nearly vertical than horizontal. In this fashion, when the influentleaves the head box 50 flowing generally outward and begins to fall downfrom the discharge 52, there is not a significant perpendicularcomponent of the flow of influent 50 as it strikes the filter screen 46at an area of impact 58. Instead, the influent is flowing nearlyparallel to the effective surface of the filter screen 46 when itimpacts the filter screen 46. The area of impact 58 may encompass anarea (seen in FIG. 7) of between approximately 90° and approximately120° around the drum screen 30 from the uppermost point of the drumscreen 30. In some embodiments, the flow of influent contacts the filterscreen 46 at a point at or near approximately 110° around the drumscreen 30 from the uppermost point of the drum screen 30. In someembodiments, the flow of influent contacts the filter screen 46 at apoint at or near approximately 114°+/−15° around the drum screen 30 fromthe uppermost point of the drum screen 30.

Because a flow 60 (see FIG. 8) of influent from the head box 50 at thearea of impact 58 is approximately parallel to the effective surface ofthe filter screen 46, the impact energy applied to the incoming influentis minimized, thereby minimizing the disruption of the flocculatedparticles of polymer/solids. Meanwhile, the drum screen 30 is rotated inthe direction of the arrow 62. Accordingly, the drum screen 30 rotatesin a direction generally counter to the flow of incoming influent,thereby maximizing the greatest amount of differential between thedirection of flow of the incoming influent and the direction of movementof the filter screen 46, which may facilitate the initial flow of liquidthrough the filter screen 46, improving the initial solid-liquidseparation as the influent contacts the filter screen 46. Increasing thespeed of rotation of the drum screen 30 may increase the total capacityof the system 10. Accordingly, the impact energy of the stream ofinfluent impacting the filter screen 46 is minimized, and good initialsolid-liquid separation is still achieved without disruption of thepolymer-solid aggregate material.

The head box 50 is further designed to ensure that the influent issubstantially evenly distributed onto the drum screen 30. In general, asthe influent enters the system 10 through the inlet 54, it is flowingalong the longitudinal axis of the drum screen 30 (i.e., generallynormal to or out of the page of FIG. 7). To minimize the impact energyof the influent and to maximize the surface upon which the influenttransitions to the filter screen 46, such incoming flow is redirected tobe generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drum screen30 (i.e., generally to the right (or alternatively left) of the page ofFIG. 7). If such flow were not spread more-or-less evenly, areas of thefilter screen 46 that received more flow of influent might suffer fromoverload such that the rotary drum screen system 10 would be lessefficient at solid-liquid separation than might otherwise be achieved.Accordingly, the head box 50 is designed to spread and equalize the flowof influent from the head box 50 to the drum screen 30.

At the inlet 54, the head box 50 has a flat bottom that is generallylevel from left to right as seen in FIG. 7. Additionally, the inlet 54may be larger than a pipe supplying the system 10, such that the speedof flow of the incoming influent slows down at the head box 50 tofurther minimize the kinetic energy of the influent. The wide, flatbottom of the inlet 54 causes the influent to enter the head box 50already roughly evenly distributed across the head box 50. At a pointalong the flow path in the head box 50 at or after the inlet 54, theflow path is divided by a plurality of fluid flow channel dividers 66(three in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4-6) that divide the flowof influent into a plurality of ongoing streams of influent, with onemore ongoing stream than the number of fluid flow channel dividers 66.In some embodiments, a plurality of flow regulators, such as adjustablebarriers or dams, or other adjustment mechanisms modifying the spacingor height of an inlet end of the respective fluid flow channel dividers66 may be utilized to further ensure that each of the ongoing streams ofinfluent is substantially equal. The flow regulators may be individuallyincorporated into each fluid flow channel 68 created by the fluid flowchannel dividers 66. Accordingly, there may be as many flow regulatorsas there are fluid flow channels 68.

The fluid flow channel dividers 66 serve an additional purpose beyonddividing the flow of influent into the ongoing streams. The fluid flowchannel dividers 66 also serve to redirect the incoming flow of influentfrom parallel to the rotational axis of the drum screen 30 toapproximately perpendicular to the rotational axis of the drum screen30. This is achieved by the gradual curve of the fluid flow channeldividers 66, which redirects the influent without overly agitating theinfluent or causing dissociation of the solids from the polymer.

As may be understood from reference to FIGS. 4-6, the design of the headbox 50 causes the flow 60 of influent leaving the discharge 52 to begenerally even and laminar. In some embodiments, the laminar flow 60 mayhave a depth of between approximately 0.02 inches (0.05 cm) andapproximately 1.6 inches (4.0 cm). The distance from the discharge 52 tothe filter screen 46 generally falls within the range of approximatelyone half inch to approximately five inches, depending on the overallflow rate of the system 10. The width of the discharge 52 may vary fromapproximately one tenth the total length of the drum screen 30 toapproximately one half the total length of the drum screen 30.

The head box 50 may be designed to be self-cleaning. In other words, thehead box 50 is designed to prevent unwanted retention of influent uponshutdown of the system 10. Instead the entire floor of the head box 50is gently sloped to the discharge 52, such that upon shutdown of thesystem 10, any remaining influent in the head box 50 simply drains outthe discharge 52 into the drum screen 30, minimizing the chance thatinfluent will remain and dry in the head box 50. This self-drainingfeature minimizes the risk that the head box 50 will become clogged withdry influent after a period of use. The self-draining feature also helpsensure that influent continues to flow even while in use: if the headbox 50 has low points that do not self-drain, such locations act as apossible point where solids can accumulate to clog the system 10.Additionally, as discussed previously, the head box 50 may include awater cleaning nozzle as part of the clean-in-place system, which watercleaning nozzle may be used upon shutdown or at other applicable timesto ensure the head box 50 remains clear of accumulated solids that mightblock or disrupt flow through the head box 50 or its fluid flow channels68.

Embodiments of the system 10 may be scaled to various requirements, suchas influent flow rates approaching and exceeding 1000 gpm. Embodimentsof the system 10 may result in increased capture of oil from theseparating process of at least 4% (e.g., from a range of 74% to 82%recovery to a range of 80% to 88% recovery). Additionally, embodimentsof the system 10 permit increased separation of solids in the form ofTSS and TS of at least 5%. Embodiments of the invention also provideimproved bioavailability of the recovered oils and solids as therecovered oil and solids are not put through a traditional evaporativeprocess, but may instead be taken from the more-solid portion (syrup)discharged through the discharge end 34 of the system 10. Addition of asurfactant such as SDS ahead of the polymer application step may furtherimprove oil capture as much as 4% or more. Because of the efficiency ofthe system 10, the anionic polymer used in the system 10 may be appliedat a lower dose, as low as less than 20 mg/L of influent solids atbetween 7% and 8% solids by weight. Sodium metabisulfite may be used asa particle stabilizer in the influent thin stillage. Embodiments of theinvention also provide improved dewatering of the solid from therotating drum screen 30, such as at least 5% improvement.

The drum screen 30 may be sized to perform the desired separation ofsolids from liquids. The area of the drum screen 30 betweenapproximately 120° and approximately 180° from the top (uppermost point)of the drum screen 30 is the working area of the drum screen 30. Thelength of the head box 50 is determined by computing the lengthnecessary to take the expected incoming influent volume rate and toreduce the depth of that volume of influent so that it is betweenapproximately 0.02 inches (0.05 cm) and approximately 1.6 inches (4.0cm) as it comes into contact with the filter screen 46. The size of thedrum screen 30 is customized by reviewing the circumference androtations or revolutions per minute (rpm) of the drum screen 30 todetermine the working area of the drum screen 30 for a given amount oftime, and how much influent will flow through the head box 50 at thedesired depth. In some embodiments, the drum screen 30 may revolve at arate of between approximately 4 rpm and approximately 25 rpm. In otherembodiments, the drum screen 30 may revolve at a rate of betweenapproximately 4 rpm and approximately 50 rpm. Higher rpms provide moresurface area of filter screen for passage of liquid, solid accumulation,and solid removal. Accordingly, systems with higher flow and/or highersolids for removal may incorporate higher drum screen revolution rates(rpms).

FIGS. 10-19 illustrate features of another representative drum screen 30in accordance with embodiments of the invention. FIG. 10 shows aperspective view of a drum-frame-flight assembly 70 of the drum screen30. The drum-frame-flight assembly is formed of the various componentsof the drum frame 48, which drum frame 48 defines a generallycylindrical volume, as well as the flights 38 or series of flights 38,which are affixed to the drum frame 48. In this embodiment, the drumframe 48 or drum screen 30 is formed of two halves or sections, a firstsection 72 (illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 11 and 13) and a secondsection 74 (illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 12 and 14). The drumframe 48 of each section 72, 74, includes a bolting bar 76 adapted toreceive bolts 78 to secure the first section 72 to the second section74. The drum frame 48 of each section 72, 74 also includes a flangeportion 80 at each end thereof adapted to perform one or more of variousfunctions. The flange portion 80 of one or both ends of each section 72,74 may be bolted or otherwise secured to a drive element such as gear 44to permit the drum screen 30 to be rotationally driven (see, e.g., FIG.3). Additionally, the flange portion 80 of one or both ends of eachsection 72, 74 may be received by a trunnion bearing or otherload-supporting element adapted to permit rotation of the drum screen30. Furthermore, the flange portion 80 of one or both ends of eachsection 72, 74 may be bolted or otherwise secured to a respective flangeportion 80 of another section of drum screen 30 to form a longer drumscreen 30.

The drum screen 30 represented by the drum-frame-flight assembly 70 ofFIG. 10 represents one possible format for the drum screen 30, in whichthe heights and pitches of the flight 38 or series of flights 38 varywithin the individual section of drum screen 30. In other embodiments,however, the flight 38 or series of flights 38 may vary from section tosection of the drum screen 30. In other words, the flight 38 or seriesof flights 38 may have one pitch and height in one section of the drumscreen 30, and the flight 38 or series of flights 38 may have a secondpitch and height in a next section of the drum screen 30 secured to thefirst section of the drum screen 30 at the respective flange portions80. Where the drum screen 30 is formed of two sections of drum screen 30secured to each other at respective flange portions 80, each section mayhave a single height and pitch of the flight 38 or series of flights 38(but differing from each other), or one section may have a single heightand pitch of the flight 38 or series of flights 38, while the othersection may have a portion of the flight 38 or series of flights 38 witha height and pitch matching that of the other section of the drum screen30 and with the other portion of the flight 38 or series of flights 38being different. Similarly, the distribution of heights and pitches ofthe flight 38 or series of flights 38 may vary from section to sectionwhen the drum screen 30 is formed of three or more sections. In all suchinstances, the height of the flight 38 or series of flights 38 may belower proximate the head box 50 and the pitch of the flight 38 or seriesof flights 38 may be higher proximate the head box 50, while the heightof the flight 38 or series of flights 38 may be higher in the remainingportion of the drum screen 30 and the pitch of the flight 38 or seriesof flights 38 may be lower in that portion of the drum screen 30.Accordingly, the drum-frame-flight assembly 70 of FIG. 10 is intended toillustrate features of a single embodiment of the drum screen 30, and itwill be understood that the features illustrated in FIG. 10 can bedistributed among the various sections of the drum screen 30 when thedrum screen 30 is formed of multiple sections.

FIG. 10 illustrates an additional drum frame element, namely a pluralityof supporting bars 82. The supporting bars 82 extend longitudinallybetween the respective flange portions 80. The supporting bars 82 serveto provide support for the flight 38 or series of flights 38. In someembodiments, the flight 38 or series of flights 38 effectively provide aportion of the strength of the drum frame 48. In other embodiments, theflight 38 or series of flights 38 are secured to the drum frame 48without providing significant structure to the drum frame 48.

In the embodiment of the drum screen illustrated in FIGS. 10-19, thedrum-frame-flight assembly 70 serves to receive sections of the filterscreen 46 thereon. The sections of the filter screen 46 may be affixedto the drum-frame-flight assembly in any desirable fashion, includingmore-permanent forms of affixation such as welding, or more-reversibleforms of affixation such as bolting. Where more-reversible forms ofaffixation are used, the sections of filter screen 46 may beindividually removed for repair or replacement, facilitating repair ofthe drum screen 30 in situ without requiring complete disassembly of therotary drum screen system 10, as has been discussed previously. FIGS. 13and 14 illustrate top (inside-to-outside) views of the first section 72and the second section 74, respectively, of the drum screen 30 of FIG.10 after affixation of the sections of the filter screen 46. FIG. 15illustrates a side (outside-to-inside) view of the fully assembled drumscreen 30.

FIG. 16 illustrates an end view of the fully assembled drum screen 30from the discharge end 34. This view illustrates the flange portions 80of the first section 72 and of the second section 74. In thisembodiment, as the drum screen 30 is fully formed as a single section,there are no apertures formed in the flange portions 80 to accept boltsor other fasteners. If, however, the drum screen 30 were to be formed ofmultiple sections, the flange portions 80 could be provided withapertures (as illustrated by the apertures in the bolting bars 76 shownin FIGS. 11-14) adapted to receive bolts or other fasteners to secureone section of the drum screen 30 to another section of the drum screen30. As the view of FIG. 16 is from the discharge end 34, only theportions of the flight 38 or series of flights 38 having the higherheight and lower pitch are visible.

A portion of the drum screen 30 circled as portion 84 is illustrated inthe enlarged view of FIG. 17. This enlarged view shows how the filterscreen 46 is formed of parallel spaced wedge wires 86. As illustrated inFIG. 17, the wedge wires 86 may have a tip angle 88 (exaggerated in FIG.17) of between approximately 3° to approximately 5°, or of betweenapproximately 2° and approximately 8° to facilitate solids capture. FIG.17 also illustrates use of a fastener 90 (e.g., bolt, screw, etc.) tosecure the filter screen 46 to the drum frame 48.

FIG. 18 shows a cross-sectional view of the drum screen 30 takenapproximately along the line A-A in FIG. 15. As the view of FIG. 18 istaken from within the portion of the drum screen proximate the head box50 looking toward the influent inlet end 36, only the portions of theflight 38 or series of flights 38 having the lower height and higherpitch are visible.

A cross-sectional portion of the drum screen circled as portion 92 isillustrated in the enlarged view of FIG. 19. This enlarged view showshow the bolting bars 76 of the first section 72 and the second section74 of the drum-frame-flight assembly 70 are secured together by bolts 78to form the full section of the drum screen 30. While this embodimentuses bolts 78 to secure the sections 70, 72 together, and while thisembodiment uses only two sections 70, 72 to form a full section of thedrum screen 30, other embodiments use other fasteners or methods offastening sections together (e.g. clips, welding, etc.), and otherembodiments use sections that are other than 180° sections of the drumscreen 30 (e.g., 120° sections, 90° sections, 60° sections, etc.), asdesired. Accordingly, the embodiment of the drum screen illustrated inFIGS. 10-19 and the embodiments illustrated in all the Figures are inall respects to be considered illustrative of specific features ofspecific embodiments, and are not intended to be limiting of the scopeof the invention as claimed herein.

Appended hereto as Appendix A are results of particle count tests doneon thin stillage prior to and after separation using an embodiment ofthe system 10 to separate out the flocculated polymer-solid aggregate.The data was generated from a test using an anionic polymer. The testsconfirm that the system 10 is able to separate much (in excess of 95%)of the solids as TSS with the remainder of the solids being smaller(less than 5 μm) in the form of dissolved organics from the postfermented corn solids used to make the alcohol.

The following are summaries of experimental results using embodiments ofthe system 10.

Example 1

In a first test, an influent was measured as having 52,800 mg/L TS and7,200 mg/L TSS. The influent was delivered to a system 10 in which thefilter screen 46 was not provided with the non-stick fluorocarboncoating and had a screen gap size of one hundred microns. Subsequent tothe screening performed by the system 10, the resultant clarified thinstillage was measured as having 30,800 mg/L TS (a reduction of 41.7%)and 148 mg/L TSS (a reduction of 97.9%).

Example 2

In a second experiment, an influent was measured as having 13,800 mg/LTS and 695 mg/L TSS. The influent was again delivered to a system 10 inwhich the filter screen 46 was not provided with the non-stickfluorocarbon coating and had a screen gap size of 100 μm. Subsequent tothe screening performed by the system 10, the resultant clarified thinstillage was measured as having 6,210 mg/L TS (a reduction of 45.0%) and21 mg/L TSS (a reduction of 97.0%).

Example 3

In a third experiment, an influent was measured as having 44,800 mg/L TSand 19,800 mg/L TSS. The influent was again delivered to a system inwhich the filter screen 46 was not provided with the non-stickfluorocarbon coating and had a screen gap size of one hundred microns.Subsequent to the screening performed by the embodiment of the system10, the resultant clarified thin stillage was measured as having 24,400mg/L TS (a reduction of 45.5%) and 780 mg/L TSS (a reduction of 96.1%).In a fourth experiment, an influent was measured as having 107,000 mg/LTS and 47,800 mg/L TSS. This influent was delivered to a system 10 inwhich the filter screen 46 was provided with the non-stick fluorocarbon(PTFE) coating and had a screen gap size of one hundred microns.Subsequent to the screening performed by the system 10, the resultantclarified thin stillage was measured as having 21,600 mg/L TS (areduction of 79.8%) and 14 mg/L TSS (a reduction greater than 99%). Afifth experiment utilized an influent that was measured as having 75,600mg/L TS and 8,100 mg/L TSS. This influent was delivered to a system 10in which the filter screen 46 was not provided with the non-stickfluorocarbon coating and had a screen gap size of one hundred fiftymicrons. Subsequent to the screening performed by the system 10, theresultant clarified thin stillage was measured as having 30,500 mg/L TS(a reduction of 40.3%) and 320 mg/L TSS (a reduction of 96.0%).

Example 4

In a fourth experiment, the percentage of solids collected as “syrup”was 24.4%. The first through fourth tests all used an anionicpolyacrylamide high molecular weight synthetic polymer that is generallyrecognized as safe (GRAS) for reaction and separation.

Example 5

In a fifth experiment, the percentage of solids collected as “syrup” was24.4%. In the fifth experiment, fat recovery as measured using acidhydrolysis was 91.3% in the solids fraction. The fifth test utilized asilica sol (colloidal silica) plus a cationic polymer (low molecularweight epichlorohydrin dimethylamine). The silica sol and cationicpolymer test utilized a higher concentration of reagent (0.8 g/L silicaand 0.8 g/L cationic polymer) than did the first through fourth tests,which used anionic polymer (20-24 mg/L). In all tests, the pH of theinfluent was 3.8-4.5 and the polymer reagent was added to hot (>60° C.)influent solution. The increased oil recovery seen with respect to thePTFE-coated screen of the fourth experiment is believed to be a resultof the oleophobic nature of the screen coating, such that oils arepreferentially driven to the solid phase. Testing showed fat recoveryfrom thin stillage reacted with anionic polymer of between 84% and 94%percent, while fat recovery from thin stillage reacted with cationicpolymer plus silica sol of between 89% and 97.6%.

One embodiment of the invention utilizes a coated screen (PTFE) silicasols and cationic polymer for flocculation, and the head box 30illustrated in the Figures. Such an embodiment should recover greaterthan 26% of the solids from the reaction. The embodiment would alsorecover 93% of fats from the influent thin stillage. The clarified thinstillage has a 45% reduction in TS and a greater than 98% reduction inTSS.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A rotating drum screen method forseparating solids from thin stillage obtained from ethanol fermentation,the thin stillage comprising one or more of solids and suspended solids,the rotating drum screen method comprising: chemically treating the thinstillage with an anionic polymer to form stable particles of one or moreof solids and suspended solids; introducing the treated thin stillageinto a rotating drum screen system comprising: a housing having aninfluent inlet at an influent inlet end, a solid discharge end, and anarea between the influent inlet end and the solid discharge end, theinfluent inlet permitting a flow of treated thin stillage into a hollowportion of a drum screen positioned lengthwise in the area between theinfluent inlet end and the solid discharge end, the drum screencomprising a filter screen that retains at least a portion of the stableparticles within the hollow portion of the drum screen and whichproduces a liquid effluent that is discharged from an outer surface ofthe drum screen, the retained portion of stable particles being removedfrom the drum screen via the solid discharge end; and a head boxdisposed within the hollow portion of the drum screen proximate theinfluent inlet end and in fluid communication with the influent inlet,the head box being configured to direct the treated thin stillageoutwardly against the drum screen; and directing the treated thinstillage against the drum screen wherein the filter screen retains atleast a portion of the stable particles and produces the liquid effluentthat is discharged from the outer surface of the drum screen.
 2. Therotating drum screen method as recited in claim 1, wherein the head boxis disposed at an elevated position within the drum screen, such thatthe treated thin stillage initially contacts the drum screen at aposition between a top-to-bottom centerline of the drum screen andapproximately 30° below the top-to-bottom centerline of the drum screen.3. The rotating drum screen method as recited in claim 2, wherein theelevated position of the head box causes the treated thin stillage toinitially contact the drum screen at a position between 5° to 20° belowthe top-to-bottom centerline of the drum screen.
 4. The rotating drumscreen method as recited in claim 1, wherein the influent inlet and aportion of the head box in contact with the influent inlet has arectangular cross-section.
 5. The rotating drum screen method as recitedin claim 1, wherein the drum screen comprises a flight or series offlights extending from an inner surface of the drum screen along aspiral path, the flight or series of flights having a variable heightalong the drum screen, with a first, lower, height proximate theinfluent inlet end and permitting a discharge of the head box to beplaced proximate the filter screen, and with a second, higher, heightproximate the solid discharge end.
 6. The rotating drum screen method asrecited in claim 5, wherein the first, lower, height of the flight orseries of flights proximate the influent end is a height less than orequal to approximately 2.5 cm.
 7. The rotating drum screen method asrecited in claim 5, wherein the second, higher, height of the flight orseries of flights proximate the solid discharge end has a height between2.5 cm and 25% to 50% of a filter-screen-to-filter-screen diameter ofthe drum screen.
 8. The rotating drum screen method as recited in claim1, further comprising spraying a fluid through the filter screen in anexterior-to-interior direction, wherein the fluid is selected from thegroup consisting of: air; a mixture of air and an aqueous solution; andan aqueous solution.
 9. The rotating drum screen method as recited inclaim 1, wherein the drum screen comprises a non-stick perfluorocarboncoating disposed on the filter screen.
 10. The rotating drum screenmethod as recited in claim 9, wherein the non-stick perfluorocarboncoating comprises a material selected from the group consisting ofpolytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF),fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA), andethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE).
 11. The rotating drum screen methodas recited in claim 1, wherein the drum screen rotates in a directionopposite a direction in which the treated thin stillage contacts thedrum screen.
 12. The rotating drum screen method as recited in claim 1,wherein the drum screen rotates at a rate between approximately 4revolutions per minute (rpm) and approximately 25 rpm.
 13. The rotatingdrum screen method as recited in claim 1, wherein the anionic polymerhas a molecular weight greater than 10,000,000 Da.
 14. A rotating drumscreen method for separating solids from thin stillage obtained fromethanol fermentation, the thin stillage comprising one or more of solidsand suspended solids, the rotating drum screen method comprising:chemically treating the thin stillage with an anionic polymer amolecular weight greater than 10,000,000 Da to form stable particles ofone or more of solids and suspended solids; introducing the treated thinstillage into a rotating drum screen system comprising: a housing havingan influent inlet at an influent inlet end, a solid discharge end and anarea between the influent inlet end and the solid discharge end, theinfluent inlet permitting a flow of treated thin stillage into a hollowportion of a drum screen positioned lengthwise in the area between theinfluent inlet end and the solid discharge end, the drum screencomprising a filter screen that retains at least a portion of the stableparticles within the hollow portion of the drum screen and whichproduces a liquid effluent that is discharged from an outer surface ofthe drum screen, the retained stable particles being removable from thedrum screen via the solid discharge end, wherein the filter screen has asize in the range of 25 μm and 150 μm; and a head box disposed withinthe hollow portion of the drum screen proximate the influent inlet endand in fluid communication with the influent inlet, the head boxcomprising a plurality of parallel fluid flow channel dividers dividingthe flow of treated thin stillage received at the influent inlet into aplurality of parallel ongoing streams; and directing the plurality ofongoing streams outwardly against the drum screen wherein the filterscreen retains at least a portion of the stable particles and producesthe liquid effluent that is discharged from the outer surface of thedrum screen.
 15. The rotating drum screen method as recited in claim 14,wherein the head box is disposed at an elevated position within the drumscreen, such that the treated thin stillage initially contacts the drumscreen at a position between a top-to-bottom centerline of the drumscreen and approximately 30° below the top-to-bottom centerline of thedrum screen.
 16. The rotating drum screen method as recited in claim 14wherein the drum screen comprises a flight or series of flightsextending from an inner surface of the drum screen along a spiral path,the flight or series of flights having a variable height along the drumscreen, with a first, lower, height proximate the influent inlet end andpermitting a discharge of the head box to be placed proximate the filterscreen, and with a second, higher, height proximate the solid dischargeend.
 17. The rotating drum screen method as recited in claim 14, furthercomprising spraying a fluid through the filter screen in anexterior-to-interior direction, wherein the fluid is selected from thegroup consisting of: air; a mixture of air and an aqueous solution; andan aqueous solution.
 18. The rotating drum screen method as recited inclaim 14, wherein the drum screen comprises a non-stick coating disposedon the filter screen.
 19. The rotating drum screen method as recited inclaim 18, wherein the non-stick coating comprises a material selectedfrom the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE),polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP),perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA), and ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE).20. The rotating drum screen method as recited in claim 14, wherein thedrum screen rotates at a rate between approximately 4 revolutions perminute (rpm) and approximately 25 rpm.
 21. A rotating drum screen methodfor separating solids from thin stillage obtained from ethanolfermentation, the thin stillage comprising one or more of solids andsuspended solids, the rotating drum screen method comprising: chemicallytreating the thin stillage with a cationic polymer to form stableparticles of one or more of solids and suspended solids; introducing thetreated thin stillage into a rotating drum screen system comprising: ahousing having an influent inlet at an influent inlet end, a soliddischarge end, and an area between the influent inlet end and the soliddischarge end, the influent inlet permitting a flow of treated thinstillage into a hollow portion of a drum screen positioned lengthwise inthe area between the influent inlet end and the solid discharge end, thedrum screen comprising a filter screen that retains at least a portionof the stable particles within the hollow portion of the drum screen andwhich produces a liquid effluent that is discharged from an outersurface of the drum screen, the retained portion of stable particlesbeing removed from the drum screen via the solid discharge end; and ahead box disposed within the hollow portion of the drum screen proximatethe influent inlet end and in fluid communication with the influentinlet, the head box being configured to direct the treated thin stillageoutwardly against the drum screen; and directing the treated thinstillage against the drum screen wherein the filter screen retains atleast a portion of the stable particles and produces the liquid effluentthat is discharged from the outer surface of the drum screen.
 22. Therotating drum screen method as recited in claim 21, wherein the head boxis disposed at an elevated position within the drum screen, such thatthe treated thin stillage initially contacts the drum screen at aposition between a top-to-bottom centerline of the drum screen andapproximately 30° below the top-to-bottom centerline of the drum screen.23. The rotating drum screen method as recited in claim 22, wherein theelevated position of the head box causes the treated thin stillage toinitially contact the drum screen at a position between 5° to 20° belowthe top-to-bottom centerline of the drum screen.
 24. The rotating drumscreen method as recited in claim 21, wherein the influent inlet and aportion of the head box in contact with the influent inlet has arectangular cross-section.
 25. The rotating drum screen method asrecited in claim 21, wherein the drum screen comprises a flight orseries of flights extending from an inner surface of the drum screenalong a spiral path, the flight or series of flights having a variableheight along the drum screen, with a first, lower, height proximate theinfluent inlet end and permitting a discharge of the head box to beplaced proximate the filter screen, and with a second, higher, heightproximate the solid discharge end.
 26. The rotating drum screen methodas recited in claim 21, further comprising spraying a fluid through thefilter screen in an exterior-to-interior direction, wherein the fluid isselected from the group consisting of: air; a mixture of air and anaqueous solution; and an aqueous solution.
 27. The rotating drum screenmethod as recited in claim 21, wherein the drum screen comprises anon-stick perfluorocarbon coating disposed on the filter screen.
 28. Therotating drum screen method as recited in claim 27, wherein thenon-stick perfluorocarbon coating comprises a material selected from thegroup consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA), and ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE).
 29. The rotatingdrum screen method as recited in claim 21, wherein the drum screenrotates in a direction opposite a direction in which the treated thinstillage contacts the drum screen.
 30. The rotating drum screen methodas recited in claim 21, wherein the drum screen rotates at a ratebetween approximately 4 revolutions per minute (rpm) and approximately25 rpm.
 31. A rotating drum screen method for separating solids fromthick and/or thin stillage obtained from ethanol fermentation, the thickand/or thin stillage comprising one or more of solids and suspendedsolids, the rotating drum screen method comprising: chemically treatingthe thick and/or thin stillage with a polymer to form stable particlesof one or more of solids and suspended solids; introducing the treatedthick and/or thin stillage into a rotating drum screen systemcomprising: a housing having an influent inlet at an influent inlet end,a solid discharge end, and an area between the influent inlet end andthe solid discharge end, the influent inlet permitting a flow of treatedthick and/or thin stillage into a hollow portion of a drum screenpositioned lengthwise in the area between the influent inlet end and thesolid discharge end, the drum screen comprising a filter screen thatretains at least a portion of the stable particles within the hollowportion of the drum screen and which produces a liquid effluent that isdischarged from an outer surface of the drum screen, the retainedportion of stable particles being removed from the drum screen via thesolid discharge end; and a head box disposed within the hollow portionof the drum screen proximate the influent inlet end and in fluidcommunication with the influent inlet, the head box being configured todirect the treated thick and/or thin stillage outwardly against the drumscreen; and directing the treated thick and/or thin stillage against thedrum screen wherein the filter screen retains at least a portion of thestable particles and produces the liquid effluent that is dischargedfrom the outer surface of the drum screen.
 32. The rotating drum screenmethod as recited in claim 31, wherein the head box is disposed at anelevated position within the drum screen, such that the treated thinstillage initially contacts the drum screen at a position between atop-to-bottom centerline of the drum screen and approximately 30° belowthe top-to-bottom centerline of the drum screen.
 33. The rotating drumscreen method as recited in claim 32, wherein the elevated position ofthe head box causes the treated thin stillage to initially contact thedrum screen at a position between 5° to 20° below the top-to-bottomcenterline of the drum screen.
 34. The rotating drum screen method asrecited in claim 31, wherein the influent inlet and a portion of thehead box in contact with the influent inlet has a rectangularcross-section.
 35. The rotating drum screen method as recited in claim31, wherein the drum screen comprises a flight or series of flightsextending from an inner surface of the drum screen along a spiral path,the flight or series of flights having a variable height along the drumscreen, with a first, lower, height proximate the influent inlet end andpermitting a discharge of the head box to be placed proximate the filterscreen, and with a second, higher, height proximate the solid dischargeend.
 36. The rotating drum screen method as recited in claim 31, furthercomprising spraying a fluid through the filter screen in anexterior-to-interior direction, wherein the fluid is selected from thegroup consisting of: air; a mixture of air and an aqueous solution; andan aqueous solution.
 37. The rotating drum screen method as recited inclaim 31, wherein the drum screen comprises a non-stick perfluorocarboncoating disposed on the filter screen.
 38. The rotating drum screenmethod as recited in claim 37, wherein the non-stick perfluorocarboncoating comprises a material selected from the group consisting ofpolytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF),fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA), andethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE).
 39. The rotating drum screen methodas recited in claim 31, wherein the drum screen rotates in a directionopposite a direction in which the treated thin stillage contacts thedrum screen.
 40. The rotating drum screen method as recited in claim 31,wherein the drum screen rotates at a rate between approximately 4revolutions per minute (rpm) and approximately 25 rpm.